


Hanukkah is Cool!

by mggislife2789



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Gen, Hanukkah, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-12
Updated: 2017-12-12
Packaged: 2019-02-14 02:34:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12997932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mggislife2789/pseuds/mggislife2789
Summary: Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or their original stories. This is only for fun. It's where my brain goes after the credits roll. No copyright intended. Better safe than sorry. ;)Day 12 of the 25 Days of BAU HANUKKAH. <3





	Hanukkah is Cool!

“What’s that?” Henry asked as he looked at his friend’s candles.

Asher looked at him like he had five heads. “It’s a menorah. Hanukkah starts tonight.”

Henry eyed the little menorah more carefully. He’d heard that word before. “I think I’ve heard of that before. It’s like Jewish people’s Christmas.”

“Not really, but kinda,” Asher replied. “There’s a whole story behind Hanukkah, just like there is Christmas.”

At that moment, Henry was instantly intrigued. He liked stories. His mom and dad told him a lot of stories, and so did his Uncle Spencer. “When we go to recess can you tell me the story of Hanukkah?” He asked.

Asher smiled wide. “Of course!”

During recess, all of Asher’s and Henry’s friends tried to get them to play kickball, tag, hide and seek, football - anything and everything - but instead they just sat on a patch of grass next to the school and talked. Asher’s family was a devout one, so he took pride in every aspect of his heritage. He knew Henry wasn’t Jewish, but he had asked about the holiday, so he got excited and wanted to tell him everything he knew.

Henry was fascinated by how different Hanukkah and Christmas were. While he loved Christmas with his family, Hanukkah seemed cool too. 

His Uncle Spencer knew everything- at least it seemed like it, but maybe tonight when he saw him and met his new girlfriend, Henry could tell him all the stuff he learned about Hanukkah. Uncle Spencer always seemed to get a big smile on his face when Henry learned something new.

“Ready to go?” Spencer asked, shrugging on his jacket before lifting Y/N’s off the hanger on the back of the door and holding it open for her to step into. “Everyone’s very excited about meeting you.” JJ and Will were ecstatic that he’d found someone to share his life with. 

Y/N stepped into her coat and turned around, giving Spencer a peck on the lips as he buttoned her coat for her. “I’m so nervous. I want them to like me.”

“They’ll love you,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “Henry said he needs to approve of you though.” Spencer smirked as he turned to open the door. 

She stopped in her tracks and chuckled. “Is that so?”

“He wanted to make sure you’re good enough for his favorite Uncle.”

Y/N had a feeling she was going to like this kid.

Any hesitation about being accepted by Spencer’s best friend and her family instantly vanished the second they walked into the house. Spencer was passed by as everyone came in to give Y/N a hug and welcome her to their home. 

Without missing a beat, Henry introduced himself as Spencer’s nephew. “Guess what, Uncle Spencer?”

Spencer’s eyes lit up as the little boy practically jumped into his arms. “What?”

“My friend Asher taught me all about Hanukkah today.”

“Really?”

JJ nodded proudly before turning back to finish up dinner. “He’s been telling me all about it since he got home.”

“Yea, he told me the whole story of Hanukkah. I know you probably already know all about it, but can I tell you anyway?”

Y/N snickered. His nephew, even at just nine years old, was well aware that his Uncle knew anything and everything regarding almost anything. “Henry, I always want to hear about what you’ve learned. It doesn’t matter if I already know it.”

“Yay!” He hopped off Spencer’s lap and brought up a chair for Y/N.

“So chivalrous,” she laughed.

Then he brought up a chair for himself, sitting it in front of herself and Spencer before launching into what he learned today. “Okay, so Asher said that tonight is the start of Hanukkah and it goes on for eight days.”

“That’s right,” Spencer said softly, leaning back and grasping Y/N’s hand softly in his own. This was where he was happiest. With the woman he loved and the little boy he loved more than his own life. “Do you know why it goes on for eight days?”

“After Alexander the Great ruled, a Greek emperor named Antio-chus-”

“That’s right,” Spencer said proudly. “Antiochus.”

“Anyway, Antiochus outlawed Jewish rituals and ordered them to worship Greek gods, so they fought back. Three years after the Maccabees started fighting, they won and restored the Temple of Jerusalem. But they had to remove all the Greek symbols. When they finished, the lit an oil lamp in celebration and it was only supposed to last a day, but it remained for eight days. It was said that a miracle was performed and that’s why it lasted so long.”

Spencer beamed. “That’s right! Did Asher tell you about how they celebrate?”

“I was getting there, Uncle Spencer!”

Y/N giggled and leaned into Spencer’s shoulder. “Okay, okay, sorry!” He laughed. “Go ahead.”

“Hanukkah, which means rededication, is known as the Jewish Festival of Lights. The holiday is supposed to honor the people that won the battle trying to keep their faith.” As he continued, Spencer couldn’t help but almost shed a tear. Henry was so inquisitive; he had an endless thirst for knowledge. “Tonight, Asher said he’d light the first candle on the menorah with his mom and dad, and they’d do it for the next seven days. They also play the dreidel game, and eat gelt, which look like little chocolate coins, and they make all kinds of food like latkes, which sound really tasty, and rugelach? Is that it? He said it’s like a pastry.”

“They’re delicious!” Y/N exclaimed. “Maybe Spencer and I can take you to the bakery down the street one day and you can try some. You’d love them. They make all types of different flavors.”

“Mom! Dad! Can I go with Y/N and Uncle Spencer so I can try rugelach?”

Will laughed as he ruffled his son’s hair. “Only if you bring back some for me.”

“Okay,” Henry laughed. “Maybe one day Asher’s mom will make latkes so I can try some of them too.”

“That sounds like fun,” Spencer said as JJ and Will started to bring dinner to the table. Leaning over, he kissed the top of Henry’s head. “Thanks for telling me all about Hanukkah.”

“No problem! Hanukkah’s cool!” Henry said, knowing very well that his Uncle Spencer already knew it all. Thankfully, he liked to listen to him talk anyway. “I’m going to ask Asher to tell me how to play dreidel. If I can learn it, can we play?”

“Of course.”

“Y/N, you’re invited too,” Henry said.

Once his plate was full, he began shoveling food in his face without another word. “I think you’re in,” Spencer laughed.

“I think I am,” she replied. “Just so you know I’ll gladly listen to your nephew talk on any of our dates.”

Spencer leaned in for a kiss, chuckling when Henry fake gagged. “Apparently we can’t kiss though.”


End file.
